editor's review

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Instant LOCK is a simple-to-use program which allows you to quickly lock the folders from your hard disk or external drive.

This is exactly the kind of software you would want to install on your system, especially when your computer is used by other people as well. It allows you to maintain a high level of privacy for your folders.

Upon initialization, you are required to set a master password. The interface of the application is based on a simplistic window in which you have few options at your disposal.

You can import folders by using the file browser or the "drag and drop" method. In the list you can check out the name, drive, full path and status of each folder.

Once you have added a folder, it will be automatically locked. In this case, you can only access it from Instant LOCK or when you remove it from the list.

In the "Settings" menu you can disable Instant LOCK from staying on top of other applications, along with Windows menu integration.

In addition, you can change the login password and create a new user, as well as recover disk space (e.g. empty Recycle Bin, delete the memory dump file), run a script or program, erase Internet traces (e.g. address bar URL history, cookies) and remove other traces on exit (e.g. Run history, latest file searches, the Recent Documents list).

The program runs on a low-to-moderate amount of system resources and hasn't caused us any issues during our tests. Folders can be quickly locked and unlocked. The "Lock" button is useless, since all folder are automatically locked in this list. A help file is not available.

To conclude, Instant LOCK is an excellent tool for locking folders and we strongly recommend it to all users. Just make sure to unlock them before removing the program from your computer (or before the trial expires). Otherwise, they will be automatically deleted.

Version 2.5 Multi-user / Multi password interface: This version has ability to serve more than 1 user. Each user can set/change his or her password independently from others. Users can set different passwords to hide different files or folders.